Towel dispensing apparatus



June 7, 1938.

R. DE BERSAQUES V TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/al Eon/14 141 D78EEsAQuEs A-I-QoRNEYJ June 7, 1938. R. DE BERsAQqEs 7 2,120,023

TOWEL DI SPENS ING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 [rm/mic EoMA/N 0E BEBJAQUEJ Arragzvsnr June 7, 1938. R. DE BERSAQUES 2,120,023 5 TOWEL DlSPENSING APITARATUS Filed May 1'7, 1954 5 SheetsSheet 3 Z 1 I v /o 2 r v 1 .jr zmr zz ar FIG. 6 POMA/NfiBEEJ/IOUEJ Arzwozaisxr June 7, 1938. R, DE BERSAQUES 2,120,023

TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v[warm/oz H6. 7 Rom/UN 05 552540055 Arroemegg;

June. 7, 1938. R. DE BERSAQUES 2 I TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES TOWEL DISPENSING APPARATUS Romain De Bersaques,

Seattle, Wash., assignor to Steiner Sales Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Utah Application May 17, 1934, Serial No. 726,085

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dispensing toweling and more particularly to a type of apparatus in which a loop of toweling is normally maintained outside of the cabinet, and in which towel delivery is obtained as the result of pulling oi the towel by the user, and in which the soiled toweling is taken up by a roll, also as the result of such pulling of the towel by the user. The two rolls normally traveling at an equal speed, the depending loop is maintained at a predetermined length.

An object of the invention is to provide means for normally operating the feed roll and takeup roll at equal speed and further to provide means to be automatically conditioned as a result of such normal operation for subsequently automatically simultaneously rotating the feed roll and take-up roll to the end that the depending loop and the entire unused end portion of the towel is drawn wholly within the cabinet, so that it will be no longer visible or accessible to the user.

A further object is to provide means for automatically rotating the feed roll and take-up roll at equal yet accelerated speed to take up the depending loop and unused end portion of the towel, thus eliminating the danger of catching the hand of the user between the bottom of the cabinet and the web ofthe toweling.

Another object .is to obtain automatic and accelerated action of take-up and feed rolls by means of a spring, in such manner that the spring is gradually put under tension and energy is automatically stored during the towel dispensing period, and further, to provide means by which this energy can be released when the roll of clean toweling is exhausted.

Another object is to wind or tension the spring by means including a train-of gears or equivalent 4O driving means for the rolls, a dog mounted eccentrically for oscillatory movement on the shaft of the take-up roll, said dog adapted to engage a ratchet mechanism mounted to gradually tension the spring upon each rotation of the take-up roll.

Another object is to provide means for locking the take-up roll and feed roll against rotation should a maliciously inclined person out the towel web and endeavor to remove the toweling from the cabinet.

A further object is to provide a stop mechanism which is operative during the normal towel dispensing period but becomes inoperative upon the 56 actuation of the mechanism'for automatic and accelerated action of the take-up and feed rolls to draw the depending loop into the cabinet.

Features include all details of construction along with the broader ideas of means inherent in the disclosure or illustrated or described 5 therein.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description of the drawings forming part of this application, and in said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line l-! of Fig. 6 through a towel cabinet embodying my invention when there is remaining a substantial supply of clean toweling, and with the normal amount of looped toweling beneath the cabinet;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 6, illustrating the driving gear train for the feed and take-up rolls and the associated spring winding mechanism and also showing the trip mechanism with all parts positioned in correspondence to those in Fig. 1 or the normal towel dispensing period;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 illustrating the spring windup and associated clutch mechanism and the trip mechanism for moving said clutch, all parts positioned as when the spring is being put under tension;

Fig. 4 is a partial detail sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the actuation of the trip mechanism whereby the spring is released to actuate the feed and take-up rolls to draw the towel loop into the cabinet;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the lower portion of the trip mechanism just before actuation of said mechanism upon exhaustion of the clean towel roll;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 2 illustrating the relative position of the take-up roll, the clean and the soiled towel rolls, the spring and spring winding mechanism and showing these various elements supported within and upon the inner pivoted compartment of the main cabinet;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but with the parts positioned as after tripping has taken place;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 6 showing the ecoentrically mounted dog engaging the ratchet for tensioning the spring and showing a latch for holding the spring in tension;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the parts positioned as when after tripping;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional View on-the line 55 ln |u of Fig. 6 showing the stop mechanism and its associated'timing element and also the means provided for preventing rotation of the take-up roll; and p r Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view similar to Fig. 10 but showing the parts positioned to prevent rotation of the take-up roll as when the towel web has been severed.

This invention is herein shown as applied to a wall type towel dispensing cabinet but 'is applicable to other forms and types of towel dispensing apparatus.

Referring first to Fig. 1, numeral 2 indicates the outer casing of the cabinet. This casing is provided with the usual door 3, side walls 4, rear 'wall 5 and top 6. Attached to the rear wall 5 of the casing is a bracket! which forms part ofv a means for smoothing out and tensionin'g the: soiled towel before it reaches the soiled towelroll. This bracket 1 also provides means for limiting V therearward movenieritof the inner'swing hous ing'a vertical portion H and a horizon'tal 'por-.

.Within the casing 2- is an element, referred to herein as the swing-housing. This housing is formedeby two sideplate members 8' and 9 cross connected at their lower portions'by a plate havtion '-|2,.the latter portion forming a false bottom of the housing and providing a support for 'a'roll of clean towelin'g'l4; The horizontal por-i tion: l5 is; secured to theside plate members 8'9 and the horizontal portionl-Z as shown and ex tends. rearwardly and. has its rearward edge l6 terminating, adjacent the rear wall 5io'f the. outer casing and cooperates with the bracket 1 to tension the soiled towel web. The upper portion of the'ver'tical plate ||1is provided with a forwardly 7 extending plate |8r,a the outer end of which is curved upwardly to lie betweenthe feed and take-up rolls respectively indicated by |9--29.-

"Ihe. swing-housing thus formed is pivoted by suitable means indicated at I9, the pivot being; arranged near the top of the outer casing. 2. This ghousingsuppor-ts the entire mechanism of thez'pre'sent invention. After the door 3 0f the casing 2 is open, the housing can beswung outwardly'to facilitate introduction of fresh toweling and/or removal; of: soiled toweling,

V After introduction of a roll of clean toweling |4the end of 'thetoweling is: first engaged with the. feed roll. I9,v fixed 't'o a shaft '21 rotatably journaled' in the plates 8 and 9'. The journal detail isbest shown in Fig. 3. ,The toweling is then brought around a pinch roll" 22 journaled in slots 23 of the plates'8 and 9. This r'ollf operates-to press the toweling against the feed roll to obtain the proper frictional contact. The towelin'gi's then brought downwardly-through a slot 25 and-belowthe bottom of the swing-housing'andthenupwardly to form a loop indicated at 2-6,- and 'isthen brought upwardly around the beveled edge- Hi and the .tensioning bracket '1 and thenupwardly-over a flap 21 securedzto a cross shaft 28, which is journaled'in the side plate rriembers '8] and 9; andthen to the soiled towel! roll 2 9.: The 'shaft-of=- this roll is suitably guided in slots 3| in the plates; 8- and- 9, an

the roll res ts by gravity upon and is 'frictionally driven by the take-a ron 20.

'- 'An'im'port'ant feature of this" invention relatesto -means adapted-to be automatically conditioned during towel dispensingoperation for subsequent 1y. automatically rotating'the take-up and feed rolls; One embodiment ofthis-feature includes anauxiliary shaft '35 mounted u parallel-to the up. roll 2|),

feed and take-up rolls I9 and 20 respectively and equidistant therefrom.- The shaft 35 is journaled journaled at one 'complemental clutch teeth 39 of the compara- M which is slidably tively large clutch gear This clutch gear 4| mounted on the shaft 35.

isat. all times in mesh with the gear 42 secured to the shaft 2| of the feed roll |9,and also with th'egear 43 secured to the shaft 44 of the takemeans for rotating the feedand take-up rolls. simultaneously and at equalspeeds as shownin Fig. 2. Clutch teeth'45 are provided on the outer face of the clutch gear 4| and 'areadapted to thus providing a gear trainproviding,

mesh with complemental clutch teeth 46 of the member 41 which is secured to the outer end of' the shaft 35; The coiled compression spring 48 normally tends to keep the clutch gear 4|. and the member 41 in clutching engagement."

A torsion spring 5| is mounted on the sleeve 36 and'hasone end secured thereto as at 52,

The other'e'nd .of the spring 5| is secured to thewall: fls of the swing-housing as, indicated at 53. Mountedloosely on an eccentric 54 on the shaft '44'-of the take-up roll 20 is a dog 55 hav ingaf hook member 56 adapted to engage the ratchet teethiof'the member 31 (Fig.8). The

tension spring 51 acts to hold the hook member 56co'nstantly in grabbing relationwith the ratchetteeth. Thus it will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that as a pull is exerted on the towel web the gear train 42:4-l'--43 is actuated, each gear rotating in the direction of its indicating :arrow'asjshown in f'ull lines. Upon rotation of the take uproll shaft 44 the dog 55 is givenan oscillatory movement forwardly from the posi-' tion shown in Figs. '2 and 8 and thus rotating the ratchet wheel 31 in a counter-clockwise di rectionor the same direction of rotation as the feed and take-up rolls. For each rotation of the take-uproll Zllthe ratchet wheel is rotated. a distance equal to the oscillatory throw of the eccentric 54, in the present instance a distance of twoteeth. 'As the ratchet'wheel3'l is rotated the spring 5| isgradually put under tension, it

having one end secured tothe sleeve '36 which is integral with the ratchet 31 and the other end secured to the wall of the swing-housing. A latch 59 mounted adjacent"thefperiphery of the ratchet wheel 31 has a detent' normally engage ing't'he "ratchet teeth and thuseriabling the.

spring tobe put undertensiongradually at each revolution of the take-up roll.-

Itwill: be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that 'as the ratchet Wheel 31 is rotated 'in a counter Y clockwise directionand'the spring put under tension that the stored up 'energy' in' the spring 7 5| is gradually exerting a greater and greater. force to move the ratchet wheel in a clockwise directionor the same direction as the rotation of the clutch gear 4| under normal operation; of the cabinet. Toreleasethis energy and utilize the same to rotate the clutch. gear 4| and likewise the gear 42 and 43 of the feed andtakeup rolls respectively .whenthe roll of clean towel ing is exhausted is the function of the mechanism now to be described. i 1 H A drop'bar- 6| is-slidably mounted on the-side plate member 9 by means of the screws 62 and vertical slots 63. The drop bar 5l i's' nor'mally retained 'inthe raised position shown in -Fig.2

by means of a bell crank 65 having an upstanding arm 96 terminating in a right angled lug 61 which traverses the horizontal slot 68 of the drop bar 6| and upon which the drop bar is seated. The bell crank 65 is loosely mounted upon the transverse shaft 1|v which is rotatably journaled in the plates 8 and 9 adjacent the horizontal clean towel roll supporting bottom I2. It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the lug 91 is positioned slightly over the center to the left of the shaft 1| thus preventing accidental displacement of the drop bar 6|. A trip arm 13 is secured to the shaft 1| preferably in the center thereof as shown in Fig. 6 and is adapted to rest against the clean towel roll I 4. A spring 14 provides positive means for holding the trip arm 13 in contact with the clean towel roll. Exteriorly of the side plate 8 and adjacent the bell crank 65 is an arm 15 also secured to the shaft 1|. As the clean roll diminishes the trip arm 13 moves downwardly and likewise the arm 15 until they assume the positions shown in Fig. 5 wherein the roll of clean toweling is practically exhausted. The bell crank 65 has a forwardly extending arm 11 terminating in a right angled lug 18 which lies in the path of the arm 15. It will also be noted that the trip arm 13 has a downwardly extending portion 19 as viewed in Fig. 5 having an edge which contacts with the clean towel web adjacent the forward edge BI of the false bottom I2. This portion 19 may be of substantially less width than the towel web and the tension of the web and the proximity of the edge of the portion 19 to the edge 8| prevents further drop of the trip arm until the clean toweling is entirely exhausted. When theend of the towel passes the contacting edge of the trip arm 13 the trip arm falls to the position shown in Fig. 7, the arm15 which is also secured to the shaft 1| strikes against the lug 18 of the bell crank 65 thus moving the supporting lug t1 which traverses the slot 68 of the drop bar over the center to the right of the shaft 1| whereupon the drop bar 6| will fall. As the drop bar 9| falls a beveled cam lug 83 secured to the drop bar 6| moves the yoke member 85 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4. I The yoke member 85 is pivotally mounted as at 86 to the side plate member 9. A pair of rollers 81 are mounted on the yoke member 85 and are adapted to bear against the outer face of the clutch member 4|. A lateral extension 88 of the yoke member 85 extends rearwardly and lies in the path of the cam lug 83 as shown.

The drop bar 6| is also provided at its upper end with a lateral extension 9| adapted to strike against the arm 92 of the dog 55 thus moving the hook 56 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth of the member 31. Simultaneously the arm 93 of the dog 55 moves into engagement with the latch 59 and moves it out of engagement with.

the member 31. The drop bar ISI. having moved the clutch member 4| into engagement with the ratchet member 31 by means of the yoke member 85 and the locking dogs having been moved out of engagement with the ratchet teeth of the member 31 the stored up energy of the spring 5| is now utilized to rotate the member 31 and likewise the clutch member 4| in a clockwise direction and thus operate the feed and take-up rolls I9 and 29 to draw the depending loop and unused end of the towel within the cabinet so that the entire length of toweling will be wound upon the soiled towel roll and may be thus removed by the attendant with no waste of time.

A means for visible indication of the approximate amount of clean toweling still remaining in the cabinet is provided by a segment 95 pivoted as at 96 and having suitable indicia on its periphery as at 91. An arm 99 secured to the pivot shaft 96 is connected to the arm 15 by means of the rod 99. As the. arm 15 and the trip arm 13 move together as the roll of clean toweling'diminishes the segment 95 will be rotated in like manner. An aperture It! in the door 9 is provided for noting the reading on the segment 95. Thus, the indicator is operated by the same trip mechanism which winds up the end of the towel and the gradual descent of the trip mechanism to its operative position gradually moves the indicator to show the approximate amount of clean toweling left in the cabinet.

Means are provided for locking the rolls against rotation should a maliciously inclined person out the towel web and attempt to withdraw the towel ing from the cabinet. Such means are shown in Figs. 1, 6, 10 and 11 wherein the cross shaft 28 is provided with a depending flap 21 which assumes the position shown in Figs. 1 and 10 during the normal towel dispensing period. An arm I02 is secured to the shaft 28 exteriorly of the side plate 3 and assumes the position shown in Fig. 10 during normal operation of the cabinet. The ratchet I93 is shown formed integral with the usual ratchet I94 which is secured to the shaft 44 of the take-up roll 29. The usual dog I95 prevents backward rotation of the takeuproll. Should the web of toweling be cut the tension of the toweling is released to allow oscillation of the flap 21 which will assume the position indicated in Fig. 11, being moved'to such position because of the weighted arm I92 which is secured to the shaft 28. The arm I92 has an oifset portion I68 which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet I99 and thus positively prevent further rotation of the take-up roll and consequently the feed roll which is at all times in driving engagement with the take-up roll. Thus it will be impossible to withdraw toweling by pulling on the soiled towel web because of the locking arm I02.

The towel cabinet herein disclosed also includes a stop mechanism adapted to be automatically released, i.-e., the rotation of the feed and takeup rolls are stopped after the delivery of a length of toweling such as by the pulling of the clean towel web. Subsequently, after a suitable time interval, the stop mechanism is automatically a"- tuated to release the rolls for further dispensing of a length of toweling. Such mechanism is shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 10 wherein a segmental gear Iii having a hub II 2 journaled in the side plate member 8 is secured to the end of the shaft 35 by means of pin II 3. Thus the shaft 95 and the segmental gear rotate together, as shown in Fig. 3. A sliding bolt I I4 adapted to be translated in the bore N5 of the gear III is held against displacement by the pin I I6. Mounted upon the side plate 8 and below the segmental gear III is a suitable timing element such as a dash pot IE1 having a plunger I I8 having secured thereon an upstanding lug ||9 adapted to move against the translatable bolt II 4 as shown in Figs. 3 and 10. The plunger H8 has an extension I2! slidably carried by the guide plate I22. Suitable rack teeth I 23 are provided upon the extension I 2| adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the segmental gear III. As viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 10 pulling on the web of clean toweling actuates the gear 42 of the feed roll which in turn rotates fr l -v the clutch gear 4I thusrotating the shaft 35 and segmental gear III in the direction of the arrow as shown in Fig. 10."It will'be noted that there are approximately twice as many teeth on the clutch gear 4| as on the gears 42 and 43 of the f feed and take-up rolls respectively. Thus one revolution of the feed rollwill rotate the clutch gear II and thusthe shaft 35 and segmental gear III one-half revolution. Rotation of the segmental gear I I I, moves the teeth into engagement with therack teeth: I23 of the-extension I2I,'

thereby moving the lug I'I9'to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 10 and the gear I l I will continue rotation until the bolt H4 which extends beyond the periphery of the gear III strikes against a suitable stop I25. The lug I I9 will then slowly travel in the direction of the dotted arrow being actuated by the spring I26 and held against too rapid movementby means of the dash pot I IT. The lug II9 moves against the translatable bolt I I4 and moves it out of engagement with the stop I25 whereupon the rolls are again free to rotate and the cabinet is again conditioned for dispensing another length of toweling.

Theforegoing described automatic lock and release mechanism is disclosed in my Patent 1,988,- 266 issued January 15, 1935, and is'not claimed per se in'this application.

I claim as my invention: 7 r V '1. In a towel dispensing apparatus, a cabinet,

"a feed roll and a take-up roll mounted therein,

gears on said rolls; an intermediate gear constantly in mesh with said gears whereby said rolls are rotated-simultaneously when a pull is exerted upon the clean toweling, a shaft upon which said intermediate gearis loosely mounted, means rerotate said rolls.

I 2. In a towel dispensing apparatus, a cabinet,- a feed roll and a take-up roll mounted therein,

gears on said rolls, an intermediate gear constantly in mesh with said gears whereby said rolls are rotated simultaneously when a pull is exerted upon the clean toweling, a shaft upon which said intermediate gear isloosely mounted, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, clutch members'on opposite faces of said. intermediate gear, clutch members on said shaft and said sleeve, means normally maintaining one ofsaid clutch membersion said intermediate gear inoperative relation to the clutch member on said shaft, and automatic means operative when the supply of clean toweling is substantially exhausted to disconnect the clutch member on said shaft from one of said clutch members on said intermediate gear and to connect the clutch member on said sleeve to the other of said clutch members on said intermediate gear.

3. In a towel dispensing apparatus, a cabinet,

i a feed roll and atake-up roll mounted therein,

means connecting said rolls for rotation one by the other when a pull is exerted upon the clean toweling, automatic means operative when the (i clean toweling is substantiallyexhausted to 1'0- tate said rolls independently of any pull upon the clean toweling, .said automatic 'means including 1 a control memberrmoving gradually to operative position as the supply of cleantoweling diminishes, and indicating meansv operated by saidcon V, trol member forindicating the quantity of clean toweling in saidcabinet, i V

4. In a towel dispensing apparatus, a cabinet, a feed roll and a take-up roll mounted therein, means connecting said rolls for rotation onelby the other when a pull is exerted upon the clean toweling, automatic means'operative when the clean toweling is substantiallyexhausted to rothe clean toweling, said automatic means includ ing a control member moving gradually to oper- "tate said rolls independently of any pull upon ative position as the supply of clean toweling di- 'minishes, and indicating means operatively connected to said control member 'and actuated by movement-of said control member to indicate the quantity of toweling in said cabinet.

5. A towel dispensing apparatus, including a feed roll, and a take-up roll, a shaft having a sleeve rotatable thereon, a spring and means connecting it to shaft and sleeve to be wound when the sleeve is rotated, driving elements for said feed and take-up rolls, including an element rotatable and slidable on said shaft, and means by which said sli-dable element is adapted to be alternately operably connected with the shaft or sleeverespectively to drive the shaft or to be driven by the sleeve, releasable means by which the take-up roll operates the sleeve to partly wind the spring at each operation of the roll, releasable means to hold the sleeve against movement by the spring, and means operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted for causing the slidable element tobe slid to opera-' ble connection with the sleeve and to release said releasable sleeve-operating means and said sleeve holding means to allow power applying action of the spring. a

6, A towel dispensing apparatus including a feed roll and a take-up roll, a shaft having a sleeve rotatable thereon, a spring and means connecting it to shaft and sleeve to be wound when the sleeve is rotated, a gear trainconnecting said feed and take-up rolls comprising only three spur gears one rotatable and slidable on said shaft,

means by which said slidable gear is adapted to be alternately operably connected with the shaft or sleeve respectively to drive the shaft or to be driven by the sleeve, releasable means by which the take-up roll operates the sleeve to partly wind the spring at each operation of the roll, releasable means to hold thesleeve against movement by the spring, and means operable when the toweling supply is substantially"exhausted" for causing the slidable gear to he slid to operable connection with the sleeve and to releasesaid,

releasable sleeve-operating means and said sleeve holding means to allow power applying action of the spring.

7. A towel dispensing apparatus including, a feed roll and a take-up $011,121, shaft having a sleeve rotatable thereon, a spring and means connecting it to shaft and sleeve to be wound when the sleeve is rotated,a gear train connecting said feed and take-up rolls comprising spur gears one :rotatable and slidable on said shaft, means by which said slidable gear is adapted to be alternately operably connected with the shaft or sleeve respectively to drive the shaft or to be driven by the sleeve, releasable means by which the take-up roll operates the sleeve to partly wind the spring 15 1 col at each operation of the roll, releasable means to hold the sleeve against movement by the spring, and means operable when the .toweling supply is substantially exhausted for causing the slidable gear to be slid to operable connection with the sleeve and to release said releasable sleeve-operating means and said sleeve holding means to allow power applying action of the spring.

8. A towel dispensing apparatus including, a feed roll and a take-up roll, a shaft having a sleeve rotatable thereon, stop and timing mechanism controlled by and controlling said shaft to limit the amount of towel dispensing, a spring and means connecting it to shaft and sleeve to be wound when the sleeve is rotated, a gear train connecting said feed and take-up rolls comprising only three spur gears one rotatable and slidable on said shaft, means by which said slidable gear is adapted to be alternately operably connected with the shaft or sleeve respectively to drive the shaft or to be driven by the sleeve, releasable means by which the take-up roll operates the sleeve to partly wind the spring at each operation of the roll, releasable means to hold the sleeve against movement by the spring, and means operable when the toweling supply is substantially exhausted for causing the slidable gear to he slid to operable connection with the sleeve and to release said releasable sleeve-operating means and said sleeve holding means to allow power applying action of the spring.

9. A towel dispensing apparatus having measuring and take-up rolls each having a drive gear, a shaft having a gear shiftable thereon which gear is constantly in mesh with the drive gears of the rolls, a ratchet wheel rotatable on the shaft a spring which is wound by said ratchet wheel to store power to subsequently drive said ratchet wheel, means operated by one of the rolls for rotating the ratchet wheel step by step to totally wind the spring by the time the clean toweling supply is substantially exhausted including a pawl, clutch means by which the shift gear can be alternately coupled with the shaft and ratchet Wheel, and means controlled by the toweling and automatically operable when the clean towel supply is substantially exhausted to release the pawl and shift the shiftable gear to couple the same with the ratchet wheel.

10. A towel dispensing apparatus having measuring and take-up rolls each having a drive gear, a shaft having a gear shiftable thereon which gear is constantly in mesh with the drive gears of the rolls, a ratchet Wheel rotatable on the shaft a spring which is wound by said ratchet wheel to store power to subsequently drive said ratchet wheel, means operated by one of the rolls for rotating the ratchet wheel step by step to totally wind the spring by the time the clean toweling supply is substantially exhausted including a pawl, clutch means by which the shift gear can be alternately coupled with the shaft and ratchet wheel and means controlled by the toweling and automatically operable when the clean towel supply is substantially exhausted to release the pawl and shift the shiftable gear to couple the same with the ratchet wheel, and a stop mechanism controlled by and controlling said shaft.

11. A towel dispensing apparatus having measuring and take-up rolls, means driving said rolls in unison including shiftable means constantly in roll-driving relation, power storing means, means by which said shiftable means operates the power storing means to store power, means operable by said shiftable means to drive the take-up roll when said shiftable means is shifted, a pawl which is released to allow the stored power to drive said take-up roll, and means operated by the toweling when the clean toweling supply is substantially exhausted to shift said shiftable means and release said pawl.

12. A cabinet having clean towel dispensing means and soiled towel take-up means, and means by which one operates the other, means putting a frictional drag on the soiled toweling to put it under tension as it approaches thetake-up means, and detent means for preventing reverse action of said take-up means including a pawl which is held from detent position by the tensioned soiled toweling, said pawl being adapted to assume detent position when towel tension ceases.

ROMAIN DE BERSAQUES. 

